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last mo.

California Couple Convicted After In-Flight Wildlife Crime Confessions

The pair's casual conversation with undercover wildlife officers exposed illegal possession of endangered and protected species, leading to fines and probation.

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Overview

  • Byron Lee Fitzpatrick and Shannon Lee Price admitted to smuggling a green sea turtle skull and illegally hunting a mountain lion during a 2023 flight with undercover wildlife officers.
  • Searches of their Chico home revealed additional illegal wildlife possessions, including mountain lion claws, a ringtail cat, and a mounted barn owl.
  • A relative's Napa County home contained taxidermied mountain lions, a wolverine, and wolves, all protected species under California law.
  • The couple and their relative, Harry Vern Fitzpatrick, pleaded guilty to multiple wildlife violations, resulting in fines ranging from $605 to $1,865 and probation terms.
  • All seized animal parts were forfeited, and officials emphasized the broader dangers of wildlife trafficking funding transnational criminal organizations.